When it comes to quirky comedies, the USA network has been the top dog with their long running and award winning detective show, Monk. Not content to have one quirky detective comedy, in 2005 USA premiered Psych right after Monk and it has been a hit ever since.

The show follows Shawn Spencer who developed a talent for noticing the tiniest of details growing up. To aid the police he pretends to be a psychic with the help of his know it all friend Gus. The type of case they help with varies but Shawn and Gus are always able to catch the criminal to the usual amazement of the police force.

Since I have been a fan of Monk from the very first season, I was pretty excited when Psych first came out. USA's shows are always well produced and what really makes them stand out in today's television market is the fact that it is the characters that drive the show. You come to know the characters and how they react and even on the rare occasion when an episode storyline happens to be a dud the characters are there to save the show. And it is not just the Shawn and Gus's characters, even the supporting cast does a good job with handling their roles and adding to the show's entertainment.

The humor in Psych is not quite as quirky as in Monk instead the show relies heavily on dialogue, especially quick come backs and witty banter. Sometimes just waiting to see what Shawn or Gus will say next is more interesting than the actual story line of an episode.

The 4-disk collection has all 16 episodes from the second season presented wonderfully in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby surround sound, which is an added bonus and something I've come to expect from USA's DVDs. If you have never watched Psych I would definitely recommend checking it out. It is one of the better shows on television today.

-William has been a writer for Shakefire.com since 2007. 

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